Last summer, I got sunburned even through my SPF 30 sunscreen. I know I'm a burny-prone person, but still, I was surprised. I was lamenting the upcoming summer and my apparently melanin-free skin to my coworkers today. They gave me some valuable information.
The sun in NZ actually IS stronger than it is in the States!
The intensity of the sun is measured in the UV index. The UV index ranges from 0 (night-time) to 20 (laser sun). Florida beaches have a UV index of about 10-12. Summertime in northern New Zealand regularly reaches 14-15, even if the temperature is much lower than Daytona.
This happens for three reasons: the ozone hole is nearby, the Earth's axis and orbit mean that the southern hemisphere is physically nearer the sun during the summer, and (ironically) there is less air pollution here to impede the sun's rays.
With this information, I'll be investing in SPF 45 this year.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
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1 comment:
Ouch! I didn't know THAT!
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